Wet, cold, and scratched-up, I continued my trudge down the quiet road, each step a laborious effort. I remained always wary of any approaching police cars, keeping myself close to the side of the road that bordered the dense forest. The thick foliage of the forest loomed beside me, offering the promise of concealment if the need to hide arose. Who am I kidding? I taunted myself with a self-deprecating thought, taking another swig of wine from the bottle. I’m in no state to be making any quick movements.

It was as if the universe was in tune with my worn-out attitude. Draining the last dregs from the bottle, a lone branch unexpectedly snared my feet, causing me to stumble and fall into the muddy ground. In the midst of the fall, my precious vessel, now empty of its invaluable content, landed safely in a tuft of soft grass. Too exhausted to even reach out and retrieve it, I burst into tears, my emotions overwhelming me. Slipping backward into the mud, I could feel my trousers soaking up the puddle of dirty water as I sat there helplessly, my spirit broken by the day’s relentless challenges.

I ignored the few cars that passed by, each one a potential threat yet strangely indifferent to my plight. I was surprised, yet somehow content to go unnoticed, a ghost on the edge of the road. The isolation was both a curse and a blessing – I was alone, yet it was this very solitude that kept me safe from immediate discovery.

The squelching sound of tires trudging through thick mud abruptly brought me back to the present. I snapped my head up, my eyes narrowing as a large vehicle came to a halt not far from where I sat, dishevelled and defeated. The sight of the young female driver exiting the car added to my discomfort. I quickly wiped at my tears with the tips of my fingers, trying to compose myself as best as I could under the circumstances.

Through my blurry, tear-stained vision, I noticed a male passenger getting out of the car. A sigh escaped my lips. It was bad enough for one stranger to find me in this woeful state, but two? This was utterly unforgivable.

"Are you okay?" the woman called out, her voice tinged with concern as she approached me.

"Chloe, be careful," the young man warned her from a distance. "You don't know where she's been." His cautionary tone irritated me, adding to the embarrassment of my situation.

Chloe, undeterred by Adam's warning, looked over her shoulder at him. "Don't be an idiot, Adam," she retorted, her voice firm. "She clearly needs help." Her defence was unexpected and strangely comforting.

"Are you okay?" Chloe repeated, now crouching in front of me. She reached out for my dirty hands with a gesture of kindness.

"I'm fine," I replied, my voice sour, as I instinctively retracted my hands from her reach. I wasn't ready to accept help, not in this state, not from strangers.

"Can we take you somewhere? The hospital, perhaps?" Adam inquired, stepping closer to where Chloe and I were.

His offer, though well-intentioned, only served to heighten my embarrassment. "I just want to go home," I sniffled, my voice betraying the mixture of defeat and longing I felt. As I spoke, I unwittingly smeared a trail of grubby snot across my face with the back of my hand.

As Chloe's eyes landed on the empty wine bottle beside me, I could feel her judgment weighing heavily upon me. Her gaze shifted from the bottle to me, assessing my dishevelled state from head to toe. I watched, feeling exposed and vulnerable, as she pulled a small twig from my hair, then turned to confer with Adam. "Adam, I think we should call the police," she suggested, her voice laced with concern but also a hint of caution.

"No police!" I yelled, panic and desperation surging through me. In a reflexive move, I lashed out, knocking the phone from Adam's hand as he began to unlock the device. The action was instinctive, driven by fear of what involvement with the police could mean for me now.

Adam, taken aback, collected his phone and backed away from us, wiping the dirt off. His expression was one of confusion and wariness.

Chloe stood up and, tugging roughly on Adam's arm, moved them both towards their car. They spoke in hushed tones, their backs turned to me. It was clear they were debating their next course of action.

I knew I had to escape. I dragged myself to my feet and began walking quickly in the opposite direction, determined to put as much distance as possible between myself and the two strangers.

"Hey, stop!" Adam's voice called out behind me. "Come back here and we'll get you some help, okay?"

Glancing over my shoulder, I saw Chloe speaking rapidly into her mobile phone. "Shit," I grumbled under my breath, quickening my pace even further.

Unexpectedly, Adam caught up to me and grabbed my arm, yanking me backwards. In a desperate attempt to push him away, I swung the empty wine bottle at him. But my coordination failed me; I stumbled, missing him completely.

Regaining my footing, I felt a surge of fear as I saw their car rolling closer towards me. My heart pounded in my chest, the feeling of entrapment overwhelming.

Then, a familiar voice cut through the chaos. "Gladys! Get in the car!" It was Beatrix, calling out to me. I swivelled my head in the direction of the voice, and there she was – my sister, my saviour in this moment of desperation.

"My sister is here now," I informed Adam, a hint of triumph in my voice as I brushed past him, eager to escape this awkward encounter. My strides toward the car were brisk, fuelled by a mix of relief and a desire to leave this whole scene behind me. Jerking the passenger door open, I seated myself inside, the empty bottle of shiraz gripped tightly between my thighs.

"Shit, Gladys," Beatrix sighed, her eyes rolling as they landed on the bottle. "You really had to drink now?"

"You would have done the same," I retorted sharply, without giving it a second thought. I turned away from her, my gaze fixated sulkily out the window as Beatrix turned the car around, setting us on the path home.

The car was filled with a palpable, silent tension, growing with every passing minute. Eventually, unable to stand the suffocating silence, I unwound the window. The icy wind blasted through the car as I launched the empty wine bottle out the window, watching its trajectory as it landed in the grass.

The car screeched to a sudden halt. Beatrix’s command was sharp and clear. "Go and get it."

"We're better off without it," I huffed defiantly, unwilling to retrieve what I saw as a now-meaningless object.

"Gladys," Beatrix sighed, her frustration evident as she continued. "It's evidence now. It has your DNA all over it."

Sighing in defeat, I opened the car door and trudged back to retrieve the bottle.

Upon my return, I noticed that Beatrix had lined my seat with several towels. "I don't want you getting your wet shit all over my seats," she said, a practical measure that did little to improve my mood.

My frustration simmered as I slammed the car door shut, feeling both grateful for my sister’s help and resentful of the situation. As we resumed our journey, the car became a capsule of mixed emotions – relief at being rescued, annoyance at the circumstances, and an underlying current of fear for what the future held.

"Where are we going?" I asked, a hint of confusion in my voice as I noticed that we had passed the turnoff for the quickest route home. The familiar landmarks slipped by, replaced by unfamiliar scenery, adding to my growing sense of unease.

"I'm taking you to Luke's house," Beatrix replied, her tone dismissive, as if the decision needed no further explanation.

"Why not home?" The question tumbled out of me, a mix of concern and a desperate longing for the comfort of my own space.

"The police know it was your car involved in the chase, Gladys. They've already found where you left it at Myrtle Forest." Beatrix's words were matter-of-fact, but they landed like a blow.

Well, I know that already, I thought to myself, feeling a sense of resignation. The reality of my situation was beginning to sink in – the chase, the abandoned car, the police involvement. It all added up to a grim picture.

Beatrix continued, her voice solemn, "You can't go home now. Not ever."

I gulped dryly, the harsh truth of her statement settling over me like a shroud. Is my sister right? Will I never be able to go home again? The thought was unbearable. Suddenly, a small, furry face launched itself centre stage in my mind's eye.

"I want to go home, Beatrix. Snowflake still needs me," I said, my voice a mixture of plea and resolve. The thought of abandoning Snowflake was unfathomable.

A heavy sigh escaped Beatrix, her breath sending puffs of condensation that fogged up the car windows. "I'll park the car at Mum and Dad's, and we can walk to your place from there," she said, her voice softening slightly as she made the decision.

As Beatrix turned the car around, a sense of gratitude mixed with apprehension washed over me. The thought of sneaking back to my own home felt both reckless and necessary. Snowflake was more than just a pet; she was a part of my life, a piece of normalcy in a world that had turned upside down.

The car slowed as we turned onto our parents' street, a familiar route that now felt strangely different under the circumstances. The ache in my head was unrelenting, a dull, persistent throb that mirrored the turmoil inside me. I watched as Beatrix's beady eyes vigilantly scanned our surroundings, her gaze sharp and focused, presumably searching for any sign of lurking police cars. Despite her caution, I wasn't entirely convinced that the police would be snooping around our houses, at least not immediately. They'll take some time to search the forest for me and collect all the evidence, I tried to reassure myself, clinging to the hope of a temporary reprieve.

Thinking back to the slow pace of the investigation into Brody's death all that time ago, it seemed plausible that I had some time before my home would become uninhabitable. That investigation had dragged on, its progress sluggish to say the least.

Pulling into the driveway, we parked behind our parents' car.

"Probably best you don't go inside," Beatrix advised as she opened her car door. "Not sure how you're going to explain your situation to mum and dad." Her words were practical, yet they stung with the reality of what I was facing.

Closing the door, I stared at my dishevelled reflection in the car window. Mud, leaves, and the remnants of the day’s ordeal clung to me, a stark visual reminder of how far I had strayed from the ordinary. Beatrix is definitely right this time, I reluctantly admitted to myself. The thought of facing my parents in this state was unimaginable. There was nothing I could tell my mother that wouldn't send her into an instant state of panic.

Shivering from the icy wind, I could feel firm goosebumps rising on my bare arms. In a desperate attempt for some warmth, I grabbed one of the towels Beatrix had left in the car and wrapped it tightly around my shoulders. "Let's go," I said to Beatrix, my voice tinged with a sense of urgency. I couldn’t bear the thought of being exposed to the elements, or worse, to prying eyes, any longer than necessary.

My legs felt like lead, every step a battle against the exhaustion that threatened to overwhelm me. Despite their plea for rest, Beatrix and I pressed on down my street. We moved with a purpose, our eyes constantly scanning for any hint of police activity. The tension of possibly being spotted hung heavily in the air, but, finding no sign of the police, a small wave of relief washed over me.

The moment I walked through my front door, the familiar sights of home enveloped me. Dropping heavily to my knees, I was suddenly overcome with a mix of exhaustion and relief. Crouching low, I scooped up Snowflake, who greeted me in her characteristic manner. The warmth of her small, furry body in my arms was a comfort I hadn’t realised I needed so much.

Beatrix's gasp was sharp and sudden, the sound of the front door closing punctuating her alarm. My heart raced, but I couldn't bring myself to release Snowflake or even look up at my sister.

"The police are here," Beatrix stated, her voice laced with urgency. She grabbed my shoulder, gently but firmly encouraging me to follow her.

Clutching Snowflake close, I followed Beatrix up the cold hallway, each step feeling heavier than the last. We made our way into the spare bedroom at the back of the house. Beatrix moved with a purpose, quickly closing all the blinds while I shut the door behind us. The room plunged into a darkened silence, the only sounds our shallow breaths and the beating of my heart.

We sat there, enveloped in darkness, as the loud knock at the front door echoed through the house, followed by the authoritative announcement of "police". The word hung in the air like a threat.

After several unanswered knocks, a brief silence offered a momentary sigh of relief. But it was short-lived. The side gate rattled as it was opened, sending a new wave of panic through us. Gasps escaped both Beatrix and me as a silhouetted shadow passed by the window, pausing briefly before continuing around to the back of the house.

"Intrusive pricks," Beatrix whispered angrily, her eyes narrowed into a determined scowl.

As for me, the remaining small amount of emotional energy I had was vanishing rapidly with every passing second. I returned Beatrix's look with a small shrug, a silent acknowledgment of our helplessness. There's not really anything we can do, I thought, but the words failed to leave my lips. The reality of our situation was sinking in – we were cornered, with limited options and a rapidly closing window of escape.

"Gladys!" Beatrix's hiss broke through the tense silence, startling Snowflake in my arms. The cat's paws left their imprint on my forearms, adding to the fresh markings from my escape through Myrtle Forest.

"What?" I whispered back, my voice barely audible.

"I think you should come to Clivilius with me," Beatrix suggested, her voice laced with urgency.

"I can't," I replied, the words catching in my throat. Accepting Snowflake back into my embrace, I stroked her soft white fur, seeking comfort in her presence. "The police will leave in a minute. They can't enter," I said, trying to sound convincing, but my voice wavered. Deep down, I knew my words were more hopeful than factual. The reminder of the broken window at Luke's house and the persistence of detectives Sarah and Karl haunted my thoughts. I knew Beatrix was right about one thing: It was no longer safe for me to be here.

My eyes started to swell with overwhelming emotion. A part of me wanted to go with Beatrix, recognising it as an inevitable choice. Yet, the thought of leaving meant never seeing Cody again, and I wasn't ready to leave my home without saying goodbye to him. And then there was Chloe; she was already with Cody in Belkeep. The distance from her already pained me, and the torment of being forced to join Beatrix in Bixbus was unbearable. My gut wrenched at the thought of never seeing Cody or Chloe again if I left with Beatrix. Yet, if I chose to go with Cody, it would mean leaving my sister behind.

Tears streamed down my swollen cheeks as I grappled with the decisions looming ahead of me. Each option felt like a loss, a painful sacrifice that I wasn't prepared to make. In my heart, I knew that staying wasn't a viable option, but leaving was equally agonising.

"Gladys," Beatrix began, her tone serious. "Luke and I can't protect you if you stay here, you know that."

"I know," I echoed, my voice breaking into sobs. The truth of her words cut deep, yet I clung to a desperate hope. "I just need a few more days. Give me time to settle Snowflake with mum and dad," I pleaded, my voice trembling with emotion. The thought of leaving Snowflake, my one constant comfort in a world that had turned chaotic, was unbearable.

"And what are you going to tell them? You know you can't tell them the truth-" Beatrix started to say but then paused, her sentence hanging unfinished in the air.

Unless we bring them to Bixbus too, the thought completed itself silently in my mind, a possibility that felt both outrageous and frighteningly feasible at the same time.

"Just a few more days. I'll sort it, I promise." My voice was a mix of desperation and determination. The idea of leaving everyone and everything behind was overwhelming, yet the notion of dragging my parents into this mess was equally distressing.

Noticing that the outside had fallen eerily silent, Beatrix and I cautiously approached the window. Peeking through the blinds and curtains, we scanned for any remaining signs of police presence.

"Looks like they're gone," Beatrix finally said, her voice conveying a mix of relief and concern. "No doubt they'll keep checking here for you." Her words were a reminder that the respite might be temporary, and the danger was far from over.

"I know," I replied, my voice tinged with resignation. I found myself agreeing with Beatrix yet again, a rare occurrence in normal times but becoming more frequent in these extraordinary circumstances. As I spoke, I pulled a fresh bottle of shiraz from the pantry, a reflexive action driven by a desire for comfort.

"Gladys, don't," Beatrix warned sternly, her voice echoing her disapproval.

I chose to ignore her caution, feeling a rebellious need to assert some control over my situation, however small. I grabbed a glass that had dried on the kitchen sink and poured myself the wine. Taking a mouthful, I savoured the warmth of the liquid as it slid down my cold throat. The wine offered a brief respite, a fleeting moment of escape. I placed the glass on the kitchen bench and made my decision. "I'm going to have a shower. Tell Luke that I'm alright, would you?" I asked, trying to maintain a semblance of normalcy in my voice.

"Sure," Beatrix agreed, though her pursed lips betrayed her disapproval of my wine-drinking.

"I've left a car in Burra. I need to finish driving to Broken hill before nightfall,” she added.

As I headed towards the living room doorway, I paused and turned back to face her. "Broken Hill?" I repeated, curiosity piqued. "What's in Broken Hill?"

"Paul has sent me on a mission," Beatrix replied, her face lighting up with a glow of useful satisfaction.

"A mission?" I couldn't help but repeat, a smirk cracking across my tired face.

Beatrix frowned, clearly not amused. "Are you really going to just stand there and repeat everything I say?"

I chuckled softly, a sound that felt strange and out of place in the tension-filled air. It was a small comfort to see that our affectionate sisterly rivalry remained intact, even in the midst of such dire circumstances. "I'm going for a shower," I repeated, reinforcing my earlier statement. Then, with a small nod to Beatrix, I left the room.

As I walked away, the warmth of the wine in my stomach and the prospect of a hot shower ahead, I felt a momentary sense of solace. The familiarity of bantering with Beatrix provided a brief escape from the looming decisions and the heavy reality waiting outside. For now, the shower was a sanctuary, a place to wash away the grime of the day and, if only for a few minutes, the overwhelming burden of my predicament.

Moments later, the bathroom lights flickered unexpectedly, causing the hairs on my arms to bristle with a strange, ticklish static. Luke? The thought flashed through my mind, an unexpected possibility in this day of endless surprises. Quickly, I turned off the water, threw my shirt back on, and hurried out into the hallway.

"Luke? Is that you?" I called out, my voice echoing slightly in the empty corridor.

Silence greeted me in return.

"Beatrix?" My voice rose slightly as I called out for my sister, slowly walking down the hallway, my steps hesitant. "Beatrix, are you still here?"

Again, there was only silence, a void that seemed to amplify my growing sense of unease.

In that moment, the full weight of Beatrix's words over the last five minutes crashed down on me, overwhelming in their significance. A car in Burra. Driving to Broken Hill. Missions for Paul. Come to Clivilius with me, Gladys. The reality of what she had implied, what I had overlooked in my distress, became painfully clear.

"Shit! Beatrix is a Guardian now!" I whispered to myself, stunned and frozen in place. The revelation hit me like a physical force, and in that moment, I knew that my sister was gone.

Standing in the fogged-up bathroom, the dampness clinging to my skin, I wrapped a towel tightly around my body. The flickering lights created an eerie atmosphere, adding to my sense of unease. Cautiously, I opened the door and stepped into the hallway, my heart beginning to race with apprehension.

"Beatrix?" I called out tentatively, hoping for a response, but the house remained silent, amplifying my growing anxiety.

As I crept down the hallway, a sudden noise made me jump, causing my towel to come undone. Quickly grabbing it, I tried to recompose myself.

"Cody!" I exclaimed in surprise, my voice a mixture of relief and confusion. "What are you doing here?"

"Gladys," Cody said, rushing toward me and embracing me unexpectedly. His presence, so sudden and comforting, was a balm to the chaos of the day.

Unable to resist, especially after everything that had happened, I found myself kissing him. His stubbled face brushed against the softer skin of mine, a fleeting moment of intimacy in a day fraught with danger.

However, the reality of the situation quickly pulled me back. "Cody, you can't be here. It's not safe," I told him, my voice quivering with worry.

Cody's expression turned serious, his face elongating with concern. "I know. I've come to take you to Belkeep."

My eyes widened in surprise and fear at his proposition. As I took a few steps back, Cody reached into his pocket and produced a Portal Key. "Please, Gladys, come with me," he implored, his eyes begging me to understand.

I stumbled over my words, fumbling with the towel in my anxiety. "I need more time," I replied, my hands coming together in a pleading gesture.

"Gladys," Cody said gently, yet firmly, taking my hands and drawing them apart. He placed the Portal Key into my palm, encouraging my fingers to close around it. "We're running out of time," he insisted.

I nodded silently, a solitary tear rolling down my cheek, the weight of the decision heavy upon me.

Cody's eyes glistened with unshed tears, red from emotion or exhaustion. "I'll leave you to make your final preparations. I'll return for you and Snowflake tomorrow," he said, his voice resolute.

Before I could offer any rebuttal, Cody retreated through the familiar bright colours of the portal, leaving me alone with the swirling thoughts and emotions that the day had brought.

"This is too much," I whimpered, feeling utterly overwhelmed and defeated. My arms instinctively reached out towards the kitchen, yearning for the wine that now seemed so far away, as if it could offer some solace in this moment of despair. Slowly, my legs gave way beneath me, and I found myself slumping to the floor right where I stood.

In that moment of vulnerability, Snowflake, ever perceptive to my emotions, offered her silent consolation. She crawled between my crossed arms, which were resting on the floor, my elbows digging uncomfortably into the surface. I watched her as she turned in small circles, a ritual before finding the perfect spot to settle down.

Finally, Snowflake nestled herself beneath my chin, her warm, soft fur against my skin offering a small comfort. Feeling completely broken by the weight of everything that had transpired, I couldn’t hold back the tears any longer. I sobbed into Snowflake's fur, each tear a release of the pent-up fear, uncertainty, and grief that had accumulated over the harrowing course of events.